Viscoelastic multicomponent fluids in confined flow-focusing devices

Abstract

Abstract. The effects of elasticity on the break-up of liquid threads in microfluidic cross-junctions is investigated using numerical simulations based on the "lattice Boltzmann models" (LBM). Working at small Capillary numbers, we investigate the effects of non-Newtonian phases in the transition from droplet formation at the cross-junction (DCJ) and droplet formation downstream of the cross-junction (DC) (Liu & Zhang, Phys. Fluids. 23, 082101 (2011)). Viscoelasticity is found to influence the break-up point of the threads, which moves closer to the cross-junction and stabilizes. This is attributed to an increase of the polymer feedback stress forming in the corner flows, where the side channels of the device meet the main channel.